Revaluation

"So, it was Rana who was feeding information back." Alec narrowed his eyes. "We should turn this over to IA."

"And what? Hang her out to dry! " Ruth snapped as Alec challenged her. "She was blackmailed. Her child."

"We are not turning the girl over to IA." Harry said firmly. Ros let her lips twitch into the remnants of a smile. It was rare to see Alec White wrong footed but it seemed he still had to learn that where Ruth was concerned it was a rarity that Harry would go against her.

"No." Ros stepped in. "But I agree Cook and his far right croanies have used the child as a bargaining chip. The child."

"Francesca." Ruth interjected. "She's three."

"Francesca." Ros conceded. "We must assume she is still alive. Finding her ends this. We find her, Rana and her daughter get to play happy families. But these morons have used her for a reason."

Malcolm nodded as he looked at the younger officers sat around the Briefing Room table. "To get to us. I see it as they probably do."

"Which is?" Harry asked.

"Revenge. Knowing our troubles over the years gives them access to our Achilles heels." He looked at Harry. Beth and Dimitri glanced at each other.

"Of course." Lucas nodded. "Children targeted, hotel bombings, racist attacks, picking off certain people." He looked directly at Ruth. "We knew this."

"Not all of it is in the files." Ruth spoke calmly. "Remember when Mani took me and Harry I was technically still in deep cover. I didn't archive what happened. I wasn't supposed to be alive. You had no analyst at the time so not much was recorded."

"Especially as getting you and Harry back was a black op." Malcolm took up the explanation as younger and newer team members looked aghast. "My time with Nick isn't in the records. I felt it prudent that the boy wasn't dragged any further into this world than he had been."

Ruth smiled slightly. "But."

"We need Rana to help us." Harry continued. "Find her daughter and we find those responsible for the attack on Tariq and everything else. But she has to lead us to them. Can we trust her?"9

Ruth nodded. "I'll talk to her."

"And you think that'll do some good?" Alec felt the glares without looking up. Ruth sighed.

"Yes, it might. I'm the only woman in this room who has been through what she is going through now. I can get her to talk." Ruth got to her feet, quietly leaving the room as Adam shook his head.

"Prat."

"What?"

"Ruth's boy was used as a bargaining tool once. His life for information. Same as Rana's girl. If it had been one of my kids and you'd just said that it wouldn't just be Tariq on a drip." Adam snapped. "Do you ever read the files? Research?"

"That's what Zoe, Cath and Ruth are for." Alec shrugged, desperately wishing he was in the pub. Harry got to his feet, dismissing the team once more. Silently he prayed Ruth was right - that Rana's daughter was the key.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh I do not like this. This I do not like." Calum pressed a few keys on the computer as Erin walked over to him.

"What?"

"That." Calum pointed at the computer monitor. "I'm going through the last week or so of cctv. I know Parkinson's a racist bigot but no good could possibly come of this. He's up to something."

Catherine crossed the room to them. "Last known whereabouts place him at the community centre across the road from City Mosque. At approx 2000hrs last night."

"Alone?" Zaf asked.

"Apparently But, who knows ?"

"Right, Ok." Zaf grabbed his jacket.

"Where are you going?" Zoe called after him as he turned back.

"To the Mosque. I think Iman Khan is still there. He might have seen something. Will? You coming?" Will nodded before following the older man out of the Grid.

Xxxxxx

Rana raised her head as Ruth and Lucas stepped into the room. Ruth sat opposite her as Lucas hung back.

"You have to help us. If you want your daughter home." Lucas spoke calmly. Rana shot him a filthy look. Ruth sighed.

"You have to contact Cook. Tell him you have some information about us. Something that'll destroy Section D once and for all." Ruth spoke as Rana raised her eyebrows.

"He'll not believe me."

"He will." Ruth stared at him. "You get him to meet and we'll be there. Your daughter could be in your arms by the morning."

"If he doesn't kill us both." Rana snapped.

Lucas stepped forwards. "We won't let that happen." He crouched to the level the women were sitting at. "You know I've got kids. My youngest is about Francesca's age. We can do this."

"How?"

"No one else should get hurt." Ruth squeezed Rana's hand. The younger woman blinked back tears.

"Ok. What do you want me to do?"

Xxxxxx

A/N let me know if anyone is reading.